FAMILY: HELP US FIND MISSING MICHAELLA

Family are confident of finding missing Michaella McCollum Connolly who is missing in Ibiza

THE family of Belfast woman Michaella McCollum Connolly say they remain hopeful of finding her.

Michaella – also known as ‘Kayla’ – disappeared 11 days ago on a Spanish sunkissed island.

The young nightclub hostess was last seen a week and a half ago in Ibiza where she is working.

Friends are concerned for hr well being as she has not been in touch.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has been contacted by her family as they try to locate her.

Michaella’s family are believed to have contacted Interpol and have been liaising with Spanish Police in the last few days.

Michaella, a dancer who is in her early 20s, was working at a popular nightspot in the San Antonio holiday resort before she disappeared.

Her family launched an appeal on Facebook in a bid to ascertain information regarding her whereabouts.

In a message today, her sister Samantha said they had contacted all relevant authorities and are “confident” about finding Michaella.

“To everyone who is supporting us and sending kind messages, I just want you all to know that we are confident that we will find Michaella’s whereabouts.

“The relevant authorities have now took control of this and we will keep you all updated whenever we hear anything more.”

Michaella had been living in Belfast before setting off to work in Spain over the summer.

The young woman has turned off her phone and has not been on Facebook recently, said her sister Samantha Connolly, who spoke of her family’s concern.

She appealed for help from her friends in contacting her sister, in a post which has since been widely shared on social media.

It stated: “Michaella comes from a very close and loving family and we are all extremely worried and concerned that she hasn’t been in contact and that we cannot contact her.”

Samantha said that there were unconfirmed reports that Michaella, or Kayla as she is known in the entertainment business, may have been in Madrid or Barcelona.

The Departmnt of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the reported disappearance of a Northern Irish woman.

A spokesman for the department said it was in touch with Michaella’s family.

She is described as being in her 20s, and is understood to have worked at various clubs in Belfast, according to her Facebook page.

Some reports said she is from north Belfast, but it is also thought she has links with Dungannon.

In launching an appeal for her whereabouts on Facebook earlier this week, sister Stephanie said she had been living in San Antonio Bay, Ibiza, for the last few weeks, but could now be in mainland Spain.